Point of purchase promotional items can be an effective marketing tool for the sale of consumer products. One common technique is to attach the promotional items directly to the products being displayed for sale. The promotional items can be adhesive backed labels that are either removable or have tear-away panels. In this way, the labels can be used as coupons that consumers can separate from the product and redeem at purchase. The labels may also bridge between the lid and jar of a product to provide a tamper evident seal, and can also be used as tokens for a promotional game or small entry forms for a promotional giveaway.
Conventional labels of this type typically include a base sheet with a back side coated with an adhesive that is not releasable, thus leaving behind either a sticky residue or a partially torn label when removed. They may also be folded into small booklets or include several separate panels that can be torn away from a base sheet. Besides the complexity of manufacturing such labels, they also take up space on the product or its packaging that would otherwise be used for decals or printed product information, such as the trade name of the product and product content information. If the space for the promotional labels is not reserved, they would simply be attached on top of the other product information, thereby obstructing the consumer's view to the product advertisement or information, at least while the promotional label is attached.
One way to avoid this is strategic placement of the promotional label, such as at a corner or edge of the product. However, it may not always be possible to avoid interfering with the product labeling and if the promotional labels are attached after the product is packaged, perhaps by the retailer, the product manufacturer may be unable to ensure proper placement of the promotional labels.
Another way is to use a neck hanger label, which is easily removed and extends the printable area of the packaging without obscuring information on the container. Such labels are effective to call a consumer's attention to a product, to put a selling message in front of the customer, even if not used as a coupon. However, neck hangers are not easily applied automatically and can create somewhat of a disheveled appearance of the product.
Thus, an improved product label is needed which is capable of automatic application, able to be used so as to extend the printable area of the packaging, is securely affixable to the product container and able to be used as a tamper evident seal.